Very glad to hear that sanity is getting a toehold. Dogs--of which I have four--create infinitely more problems and noise than chickens, for Lord's sake.
Caged Chickens Study
We raise chickens and always have between 50-100..they have large pens..and even then, when we open their door to go run around all day..they fly out, wings flapping, feet moving, so fast they will often go faster than the realize and skid like the are sliding into home. No one will ever be able to convince me that chickens like to be in tiny cages.
I couldn't agree more Tucson! No animals want to be confined in a cage the size of a piece of paper which is the horrible fate endured by factory-farmed chickens. I read today that a producer is installing a sedation anesthesia system in which the chickens get knocked out with carbon dioxide before being hung upside down for slaughtering. I think that's a wonderful advance since it takes the fear and stress out of the slaughtering process.
There is a reason we refer to being scared as "chicken" I find it funny when people email me saying they only want friendly chickens...well gee, don't we all! Even our most calm chickens will often freak out if there is someone or something new going on. I agree with the sedation..they can freak out so easily and it only takes one to make everyone else follow. They can make the most horrific sounds too. I love my chickens..but they are crazy lil creatures.
Will the carbon dioxide show up in the meat of those birds?
I shouldn't think it would matter.
It would matter to me if I'm eating those birds. I don't want any of my meat tainted with chemicals or hormones. I would think if this is strong enough to kill them it might affect the meat. I'm just asking. I don' t know.
There would be some carbon dioxide in the meat naturally as a normal product of respiration.
I can't find anything that addresses contamination of meat by carbon monoxide. I suspect that it's a non-issue, since CO2 is used to keep red meat red, but then, it would be an individual choice, I think. I'm doubtful that there would be any actual residue in the flesh, but I would take a chance on that simply to reduce the suffering for the chicken.
JM$.02
I don't think carbon monoxide is used.
Sorry, I know that Loon was concerned with carbon dioxide. The _mono_ must have stuck in my brain from the article i was reading to figure this out.
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Packaging/Science-set-to-end-carbon-monoxide-packaging-debate
It says that CO, CO2 and N are used to preserve color and restrict bacterial growth. Came up when I googled for "carbon dioxide as meat preservative", which was an offshoot of "carbon dioxide meat contamination" and so on....